The Native Born or, The Rajah's People

rough the Colonel's carefully tended garden and were scarcely conscious that they had dropped into a thoughtful silence. Yet

shot-hole, each jagged splinter and torn hinge had its own history and added its pathetic detail to the whole pict

, pushing aside the heavy festoons of creeper which barr

ned to Lois, who, with an uncontrollable shudder, had follo

n a hushed voice, "and every time I seem

knew her?

than a year old. Yet her loss seems

he lik

but she was stately and beautiful. So she has always

ned and look

nting to the rusty truckle-bed in the corner. "And there is

no

hen I came of age I gave it to him. It seemed to belong to him, somehow. They say that it nearly broke his hear

uriosity. "I have never known the rights of the case. It has

ch both silently recognized, and Lois turned away to hi

e real fate of his victims. For a long time people used to hope and hope that in some dungeon or prison the

ingh died in

id. No one really

afford said, his good-

he should have caused

had the chance to pay

s son the power, g

tone of gentle remonstrance. "It would have been ha

undiplomatic tenderness for the whole world

s, it always seems to me as though I could see his father's treachery in Nehal Singh's eyes. It made me sick to think that I was enjoying hi

bjected. She liked Travers, and was incli

the rooted and not unfounded masculine noti

as doing," he retorted. "From what she told me, she takes the whole matter as

she may have had her doubts on the s

could not help being sorry for him. He seemed so eager and enthusiastic and anxious to plea

had touched him and stirred to life a warmth of

smiling down at her small troubled face.

er. "I have often worried about it. I mean," she added, as he laughed at her incoherence

justified distinction and to my mind t

ole interest concentrated on the charm of her personality. But fo

then, so contemp

y are their elemental selves-lazy, cruel, treacherous and unscrupulous. No, no. Each race must keep to itself. Our strength in India depends on o

ents every one except professors fro

e so much at his ease. "One feels

have anything t

I could

ed away as though h

to hear you talk like that," she

ing about them." Her more serious mood had conquered his good spirits, and for a moment he stood at her side looking at the disused bungalow with eyes as thoughtful as her own. "Isn't it strange?" he went on. "Our parents came tog

ge. I could almost think that this bungalow h

alf confirmati

h gloom for one evening. Let me gather

ing aside when they came in sight of the Colonel's verandah. No word of tenderness had ever passed between them, and yet they were happy to be together. It was as though a b

ppearing figures amidst the trees with the satisfaction of a confirmed match-maker. She, too, knew of this bond

ying to read the newly arrived English paper, "but for once in a way I believe there is so

armichael

is and S

cally settled. Why do you look like that? You ought to be pl

eatening torrent of expostulation. He had turned crimson

d of Stafford," he b

ean by a sudden exclamation from his wife, who had l

thing come to murder us all. There, how do you do!" She gave him her hand. "Will you have a cup of tea? We have just had ours, b

held a large bouquet of freshly cut flowers trembled as though the shock

but as she is not here I should be very grateful if I might have a few words with you a

hroat and settling himself farther back in hi

r man's tone and attitude were those of some one con

he chair offered him. "I think you must have known long ago that I

ilence. Mrs. Carmichael's head was bent over her work. She did not dislike Travers, but this unexpected proposa

silent. "I have every reason to believe that Lois' heart is given elsewhere. However, we have no rig

dently he was at a loss to express hi

put no obstacle in the way of

personal objec

no!" was the

The Colonel seemed in some unaccountable way to have lost his nerve and, as though he felt

g to do with it. At the same time, I feel it-eh-my duty to-eh-tell you before you go further-for your sake, and-eh-every one's sake-certain details co

urprised, and his expression was that of a man waiting fo

you were about to disinter the most horrible family skeleton. You are not to be alarmed, M

der the sting of her rep

teven Caruthers, had no children. The baby girl whom by his will he intrusted to my care was not his child, nor have I ever been able to discover whose child she really was. His will spoke of h

his mind there lurked a suspicion which he dared neither deny nor express openly, and,

" Mrs. Carmichael said, "and that is that Lois is of g

en high birth, and that he had adopted her partly because he had no children of his own and partly becau

ference in the world,

me reason or another w

avers to think that Lo

t, do

lapsed into an awkward silence. Travers was the first to speak. He had been loo

tter. I love Lois. That is the chief thing-or rather the chief thing is whether or not she can learn to lo

hael held o

he said, "and that is something to be thankful for in these dege

er. Her eyes were full of laughter and sunshine, and in her hand she

rprise, as he rose to greet her. "I did not expect to find

d his bouquet wit

. "They were meant for to-night's festivity. But it seem

too many of them!" Lois answered gratefully. "Plea

he had read in her eyes, or the satisfied calm on Stafford's face, Travers himself could not have told, but in that moment he lost his usual se

ruthers!

anging in a bowl. The smile of pleasure which still l

ven the worst-is better than uncertainty, when a man can bear no more. Forgive me-I am not eloquent and what I have to tell can be encom

ly but firmly from his

rry-no,"

e up hope. Is the

his face. He saw in their depths

most to herself. "I only kno

has suffered a temporary check, he gathered his

nt's sorrow-but a man who loves as I do must feed himself with hope, however wild and unreasonable. Now I know, and whatever happens-I hope you w

sentences brought the tears to her eyes and made her voice unsteady. She knew he was

ou do not know what good you have brought into my life nor how you have unconsciously helped me.

my power," sh

trouble, if you should ever be in need of a true and devoted friend, wil

man sympathizes with those whose suffering she has inadvertently caused, a

ecessary, I will turn t

omise

ing her out-stretched hand, ra